I love the idea of this book and I tried very hard to read it fully but I simply could not complete it. The formatting generally irritated me and it seemed like it needed one more round of editing before publication. I really hope this happens because I can see this being a good book with more work.

I got this an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in April. I reckon this is a book that will speak to a lot of queer and trans people. It speaks to certain shared experiences. Unfortunately the writing style was simply not for me. I had a hard time following along.

**A/S/L by Jeanne Thornton** is a novel that follows three queer friends–gamers and coders–who meet in the late 1990s. They forge strong friendships and find ways to survive by chatting online and co-creating games. Although the group seemingly falls apart over time, they reconvene 20 years later.

The story features three main characters: Lilith, a trans woman and loan officer; Abraxa, a nomadic trans woman; and Sash, a part-time cam girl. The narrative picks up after these friends have become adults. Despite their different approaches to life, they remain connected by their past love of gaming.

This novel is also a story of survival. As teenagers, the characters meet on early internet forums, engaging with strangers and using gaming as a means to escape their realities while forging connections. As they come of age, we see how they repeatedly rely on these coping strategies. However, the strategies that help them survive trauma may not always be beneficial for thriving in their later lives.

I believe fans of *Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow* by Gabrielle Zevin, *Beautyland* by Marie-Hélène Bernino, as well as authors like Torrey Peters, Nicola Dinan, and Emily St. James will appreciate this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Soho for the ARC.

4.5 stars

A/S/L is if "Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" went trans queer and carried a bunch of trauma. It has its ups and downs and at times it was a good read. Thank you to Soho Press and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for feedback.

The story starts in 1998 where you're introduced to text based games of the time and how three queer, online friends / business partners were trying to write a game together. They've never met IRL and you learn about each of their experiences through alternating POVs and online chat communities. You learn about how video games seem to seep into all of their lives. It jumps to 2016 and you're caught up on where each of them are in their lives and how each has evolved. In a way, they're all still stuck in the past and living with regrets.

Throughout this all, the author lays bare the misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia experienced by the queer community on a daily basis. All the rules they have to make for themselves as a means of coping. All the traumas, of which there are many. Hopes, dreams, fears. Nostalgia distorting the past. Their near-infatuation of a video game series and how it seeps into their everyday lives, tying all their loose strands together again.

My biggest critique would be that it needs some editing down. Too verbose, often times aimless. Abraxa's chapters specifically can be that way. POV's aren't mentioned for large sections and one just disappears. Disinterest crept in for me at one point. The balance is just not right. But then you get near the end and there are moments that are beautiful. It's a shame it takes forever to get to the letter. Overall, I still liked its social critiques and its intersection of life and video games, but I also found it frustrating for many reasons.

Expected publication date is April 2025.

Fun read. I wasn't as connected to the characters as I wanted to but I still think they were nicely written. The story wasn't for me but I do think their is an audience for it, probably one that likes video games a lot more than me and who clicks with the writing style more.

This doesn't come out till spring, but I'm recommending that you get your pre order in for this now. You'll get a story that features chat logs, using the internet to try on new identities for yourself and the people you meet and bond with when you're young and how they shape you, and a great look into using the framework of a fan video game you made with three others online when you were teenagers that shapes your life even decades on, and even haunts you to some degree, since it's unfinished. This was a hell of a read, and I loved every minute. Pick this up this spring when it comes out.

I think this was a solid book; good not great. I like how Jeanne writes into her special interests and obsessions but I felt like these characters were slightly more flat than the ones in Summer Fun. I also felt like it was a little bloated but ultimately I'm glad I read it and I enjoyed it still

gorgeously affected and filled with emotion for these three interesting people. 5 stars, would recommend, tysm for the arc.

A/S/L by Jeanne Thornton is a fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of identity and the complexities of online relationships. I was captivated by the way Thornton blends personal narrative with a broader commentary on digital life and community. The characters are richly drawn, and their experiences resonate with anyone who has navigated the challenges of connection in the modern age. This book provided a wonderful sense of nostalgia while encouraging reflection on how we present ourselves in both virtual and real worlds!